Richie McCaw Confirms Retirement

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has announced his retirement from all rugby at a press conference in Wellington today.

McCaw finishes his All Blacks career having played a record 148 tests, the last being the Rugby World Cup final win over Australia where he became the first captain to lift the William Webb Ellis trophy on two occasions following the 2011 victory.

The 34-year-old's rugby career began with the Canterbury NPC team in 1999 before he made his test debut against Ireland in Dublin in 2001. He finishes having played 34 games for Canterbury and 145 caps for the Crusaders.

"My last game as a rugby player was the World Cup final," McCaw said.